Introduction
Howard Alper , OC FRSC (born October 17, 1941) is a Canadian chemist. He is a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Ottawa. He is best known for his research of catalysis in chemistry.
Born in Montreal, Quebec, he received a Bachelor of Science from Sir George Williams University in 1963 and a Ph.D. from McGill University in 1967. In 1968, he started teaching at the State University of New York and became an Associate Professor in 1971. He joined the University of Ottawa in 1975 as an Associate Professor and was appointed a Professor in 1978, later being made a Distinguished University Professor in 2006.
He was the Vice-President (Research) of the University of Ottawa from 1997–2006. From 2001 to 2003, he was the President of the Royal Society of Canada.
Dr. Alper served as the Chair of Canada’s Science, Technology and Innovation Council from 2007 to 2015, and as one of the two co-chairs of the InterAcademy Panel on International Issues from 2006 to 2013.
Prof. Howard Alper is currently spearheading the initiative by the Governor General of Canada (Canadian Head of State) to enhance global recognition for Canadian research excellence. He is Chair of the Canvassing Committee for the initiative. He is also Distinguished University Professor at the University of Ottawa.The basic research Alper has been pursuing spans organic and inorganic chemistry, with potential applications in the pharmaceutical, petrochemical, and commodity chemical industries.
Honours
He was named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 1984. In 1998, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 2000, he was awarded the first Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering, Canada's highest research honour in the field. In 2014, he was made a Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.